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Originally Posted by oldane
Oldane,
My thoughts exactly.
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10-19-2011 02:52 PM
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re: the chordal instruments potentially overplaying, I actually thought about that this morning...how maybe I should 'work out' where I make my stabs, etc, but then I thought...hmmmm that kind of defeats the purpose of learning to play 'on the fly/in the moment'. I don't want to just play what's written in front of me. I think I will stick to using my ear to find space and playing sparsely. I will regularly ask the conductor - a local jazz pro - for her feedback to assess. I hate playing just what's in front of me...that's why I quit classical music as a kid. This is a fun community band, so there is room for some mistakes.
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I think it will be a very good idea to start with playing what is written in front of you by the arranger - nothing more, maybe even less. Big band playing calls for a lot of discipline/self discipline and band members are not supposed to improvise except when they are given solo space. Outside of their allocated solo space, they are supposed to play what's written in their parts. When you are not soloing, you are a section man. Being a section man in a big band is NOT about "play on the fly/in the moment". The role of a section man is not to express himself. It's about contributing to making the band as a whole sound good. Originally Posted by coolvinny
Well, that's what they do all the time in big bands. Apart from short passages of deliberate cacaphonia, I have never heard a collectively improvising big band - and I'm not sure I ever want to hear it. And this band is not just a Big Band, it's a Very Big Band. You must realize that with a total of 30 musicians, including a pianist, a bassist and another guitarist, they can easily get by without you. If you insist on taking off by yourself disregarding the written arrangement with a powerful amp amp to make sure you are heard above the rest of the band, you will likely be asked to lay out and you'll not be called for the next rehersal/gig. That way, your career as a big band musician can be very short.I don't want to just play what's written in front of me.
Sure, but we shouldn't AIM for mistakes or introduce playing which greatly increases the chances of mistakes. A badly sounding 30 piece band is very little fun to listen to - and play with.This is a fun community band, so there is room for some mistakes.
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1: If my ZT Lunchbox is deemed too powerful, maybe I'll look into the ZT Ghost... Originally Posted by oldane
2: I have no desire to step on other band members' toes, and I wish to play sparely. Everyone seemed very happy with the other night's result!
3: I don't do dogma. If it sounds good, it is good.
4: Aiming for mistakes? Please...not worthy of a response...
Time to move this to the 'comping' thread.
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Why change amps? If it's too powerful, just turn it down. Originally Posted by coolvinny
Personally, I would only do a big band gig with two guitars if there was no pianist. That way one plays straight rhythm, while the other comps.
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Vinny,
I play in a community band of about the same size you're now in. Instead of a second guitar, we have a vibraphone. (I'm the guitar).
I have never thought of how a second guitar might fit in....Saw a few 70s arrangements that allowed for one, but the point is, it was arranged stuff.
I'd say enjoy it for what it's worth, but be prepared for setbacks. Steer clear of the breakers if you can, and good luck.
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With the risk of beating a dead horse, I'll make one last post - and then no more in this thread, I promise.
I admit that I went a bit too far with that remark. Sorry. But I still stand by the rest of it, including the second part of that sentense about introducing - unvoluntarily - risks of mistakes and clashes.Aiming for mistakes? Please...not worthy of a response...
Yes, that's a quote from Duke Ellington, who broke a lot of "rules" himself. But still his musicians had to play the arrangements as written when they didn't solo. IMHO, sticking to an arrangement, will make it much easier to make the whole band sound good in the same way at the same time - so to speak. Many musicians don't like to be tied up that way - which is perfectly legitimate - and for that reason don't play in big bands. Originally Posted by coolvinny
Of course, what I wrote was from my personal perspective as a guitar player with quite a few deficiencies in my musicianship. I wouldn't be able to play in a big band without having a written part or at least a lead sheet reflecting the actual arrangement, not just a standard fake book version. I might make an ebellishment here and there if it fitted the overall idea of the arrangement and the conductor didn't object to it, but I would have to talk to the rest of the rhythm group about it beforehand. Since I'm not a fast sightreader, I would also very much like to have my part in advance so I could be well prepared at the rehersal/gig.
I acknowledge that you may well be a much better musician than me and that you may in fact be able to play it all by ear so it fits smack dab in the middle. It's just that there are so few - even among top musicians - who can do that.
I also acknowledge that you may in fact have been called to be a featured soloist, and in that case you have of course much more freedom.
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Roland Cube 80XL go play one under 400bucks.
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Having worked with in public schools for many years and conducting Jazz Ensembles and "stage bands", some of my favorites have been:
Polytone Mighty Brutes and Mega-Brutes
Roland Cubes (30's and 60's)
Roland Jazz Chorus 120 (big , heavy but plentiful used;check e-bay)
Evans JE200's
and Ultrasound Amps.
I like any of these for use with jazz boxes or semi-hollows/rhythm guitar stuff.
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